Training is the process of a planned activity of instructing and acquiring skills to reach maximum potential with specialized practice.

This is a difficult and the most debatable subject for players and coaches.  Previously, exercises were discussed and are provided for your use.  Now the question is; how do I incorporate an exercise program into a training program?  There countless philosophies on this subject.  Every coach has his own beliefs and techniques for training his players.  I will be sharing with you the training I have used to assist players reach and exceed their maximum potential.  Now, not every player I have trained has gone on to achieve great success in the game, but I can say they did reach their maximum potential. 

Mental Training

Mental training seems to be missing from programs at the developmental levels of play.  The mental aspect of the game is the most important aspect of the game, but yet it does not seem to be discussed enough.  It seems that most coaches, players and parents are satisfied to see the physically prepared player in lieu of the mentally prepared player.  I, for one, do not agree with this philosophy.  Training the player to be confident is the key to his success.  The best way to train the player to be confident to prepare him for any situation the game will present to him at ant given time.  I understand that is difficult for young players to understand the advantages of mental training.  I also know that is extremely difficult to keep their attention focused on the mental training during the training.  This training process though difficult can be fun for both the player and the coach/parent. 

The easiest way to execute this training is by watching film of a baseball game together.  While watching the film ask the player questions, have him call plays, have him tell you what he would do in the given situation, etc.  There are numerous ways to utilize the exercise, choose one that will keep it interesting and fun.  Another form of mental training is to allow the player(s) to call their own plays in a practice or scrimmage.  Allow the player(s) to make mistakes, just reinforce the proper execution of the given situation. 

I have found that most young players do not start to understand the importance of the mental game until they are playing on the field with players who are of equal or better to their own physical ability.  One player may be as physically gifted as another, but if one is mentally prepared and the other is not, the player that is mentally prepared has the edge.  It has been quite an awakening in the past six years to see the decline in the lack of mental preparedness in young players.  There are countless ways to execute metal training with your player(s).  It is imperative that coaches and players take a more proactive approach in the mental training.  Baseball has been and will always be known as a “thinking mans” game.

Vision Training

The ability to track, focus and read the ball (depth perception) is the foundation for hitting and fielding. This is the most difficult training to discuss, because the communication between the eyes and the brain is an enigma of sorts to me.  However, I do know the vision training I have incorporated has been effective.  Like the other trainings, there are numerous methods of vision training you can implement into a training program. 

For hitting purposes, you can utilize pitching machines, 5” diameter balls, waffle balls, etc.  With the pitching machines, I like to place the speed at least 10mph above the average velocity the player is competing against.  I place a number or colors (blue, black and green) on the balls and the player must identify the number or color on the ball.  Depending on the player’s level of training, he can identify the number or color on the ball without swinging or before he swings.  The more inventive you are with your player(s), the more interested the player(s) will remain. 

Physical Training

It is important to know that genetics does play into the potential of player’s physical ability.  No matter how much some young men train, their genetics does not allow them go beyond a certain physical point.  This does not make them unsuccessful, in my view point if the player reaches his maximum potential, he has reached success.  The length of the training is determined by the individual player.  The player will progress as fast as he chooses to.  The player will become as good or great as he desires to be.  It will be the little extra things the player does that will determine his level of success.  A player cannot depend on practice alone to reach maximum potential. It will be the commitment to the training and the desire to be the best that will help him reach success. Physical training must be consistent throughout the player’s career, whether it is to High School, College or all the way to “The Show”.

It is important for players, coaches and parents to understand that the mechanics and/or performance of your young player(s) may seem to digress at times.  This can be attributed to a growth spurts experienced by the player(s).  The coach or parent loses patience and starts to change the player’s stance, swing, position, arm angle, etc. This seems to be a typical mistake we as coaches and parents make with young boys.  You have a player that one season is dominating; offensively, looks like no one can get him out and defensively, everything is going right.  Then the next season complete opposite.  We have to remember, players at the Little League/PONY levels are still growing, especially between the ages of 12 to 16.  Every player will have their challenges between these ages, but we as coaches and parents have to remain patient and be consistent with the training.  There will be some minor adjustments to make, but there is no need to “recreate the wheel” when the foundation has been placed.

The following is brief example of training program I have use:

A training program should be based upon the player’s needs, time of year, and player’s position. The level of intensity and amount of time will depend on the time of the season the player is in, i.e. off-season, spring training, during season, etc. 

During the off-season, my training program focuses on gaining quickness, strength and explosive power while always challenging a player mentally.  I incorporate ballistic training¹ while performing instruction to position players and batters during the off-season.  Ballistic training allows for continued focus on the fundamentals and mechanics while simultaneously increasing strength and explosive power.  It is imperative to give the player proper rest.  During the season, the focus is to maintain the quickness, strength and explosive power gained in the off-season.

Some players will be physically, mentally and more importantly, genetically advanced than others.  It is how the coaches and players train to develop the balance between these factors that will lead to maximum potential and success.  

As you can see, there are a lot of important factors in training for baseball.  In the coming pages, I will be sharing some of the training aids and methods I use to assist players achieve their goals.  There are various amounts of training aids that can be incorporated into a training program.  I hope you find the information contained within these pages functional.  If you have any questions or comments please fee free to contact me.

It is with the right attitude, commitment to execute the program and pride in their game that will help achieve maximum potential.  It is recommended you check with a physician prior to starting any type of training program.